Samuel grossiord



(No Model.) S. GROSSIORD.

IMITATION GEM. No. 400,450. Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL GROSSIORD, OF. LES MOUSSIERES, NEAR LES BOUOHOUX, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARD A. KIPLING, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

IMITATION GEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,450, dated April 2, 1889.

Application filed July 11, 1888. Serial No. 279,689. (No model.) Patented in France July 2, 1887, No. 184,378.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GROSSIORD, of Les Moussires, near Les Bouchoux, J ura, France, have invented a certain Improvement in the Manufacture of Imitation Gems, (for which I have obtained apatent in France, dated July 2, 1887, and numbered 184,378,) of which the. following specification is a full, clear, and exact description.

to This invention has reference to the manufacture of artificial or imitation precious stones; and its object is generally to enhance the brilliancy of the imitation gems, and so to approximate more closely the appearance of genuine stones.

According to the present invention, I employ strass, either colorless or of light hue, and on one side thereof, near the edge, I apply a number of pieces of enamel of a color 2o contrasting to that of the strass, and which may be varied according to the effect desired to be produced. The piece of strass, with its spots of enamel, is then subjected to a partial fusion to unite the two. The enamel thus forms a border of varying width around the edge of the strass, leavingthe center of the latter uncovered. The enamel may be properly out, so as to give a suitable outline or design to the exposedpart of the strasssuch 0 as a star, for example. The effect of the contrast'thus obtained and of the refraction of the rays of light by the darker border of enamel gives the appearance of great brilliancy, closely approaching that which characterizes the diamond and other precious stones. This effect may be greatly enhanced by cutting facets on one OfbOth sides of the stone, and still further by covering the bottom thereof with a coating of a light-refracting medium, such as gilding or silvering or black enamel. The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, show the imitation stone in different stages of manufacture.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, I apply a numher of pieces, a, of enamel along the edge of one side of a piece of strass, A, the pieces of enamel being close together, but preferably.

not touching. Upon fusing, the pieces of enamel run together, forming acontinuous band or border, which, by cutting, may be given any desired configuration,leaving the middle part of the piece of strass uncovered, as shown in Figs. 3 and l, this uncovered field taking the form of a star. Of course the enamel may be so cut as to uncover a design of different outline.

The brilliancy of the stone is greatly enhanced by cutting facets thereon, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. One or both sides of the stone may be faceted. It is also desirable, though not essential, to cover the back of the stone, or at least the middle part thereof, with a coating, b, of a light-reflecting substance, as gilding or silvering. (See Fig. 7.) The most brilliant effects are obtained with black enamel on a colorless strass, and imitation gems suitable for mourning jewelry are thus produced. By employing light-blue strass and enamel of darker blue a good imitation of the star-sapphire is produced. 1

Other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as myinvention l. The improvement in the manufacture of imitation gems, which consists in fusing upon one surface of a piece of strass a number of pieces of enamel, forming a ring or border within which the surface of the strass is ex posed, substantially as described.

2. An imitation gem consisting of a piece of strass surrounded on one face by a border of enamel of darker hue, Within which the surface of the lighter glass is exposed, substantially as described.

3. An imitation gem consisting of a piece of strass surrounded with a border of enamel so disposed as to form a design-such as a starand having facets cut thereon, substantially as described.

l. The faceted imitation gem composed of strass and enamel, the latter being disposed so as to produce a design-such as a starof the exposed surface of the strass and having a light-reflecting medium on the back thereof, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. SAMUEL GROSSIORD. Witnesses:

VICTOR Monro'rrn, AMAND BITTER. 

